Snappily titled the "IWC Vintage Collection Ingenieur Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation", this Limited edition was launched in 2011, and limited to 1,000 pieces. In essence, this is a VC Ingenieur with a blue dial and a solid caseback. The caseback forms the connection to the Laureus charity, and depicts a drawing made by an eight year old boy from Mumbai.
When I chose this one I was comparing it with several other blue-dialled watches in a similar price bracket. I decided to go for this one, despite never having seen one in the flesh...
Between ordering it and delivery, I had to wait about 10 days, and during that time, my anxiety grew, concerning the size of the watch - would it be too big, or would I get away with it...
Additionally, being a relatively large watch (42.5mm x 14.5mm), but a fundamentally simple design, this one would only achieve success through the quality of the detail execution...I had looked at hundreds of online pictures and a couple of videos, but still, I waited with some trepidation.
Finally, whilst researching this model, I was amazed (and somewhat concerned) at the amount of information pertaining to replicas/fakes/copies. However, I believe I've done my homework and sourced it from a reputable supplier with a full history, so no real worries on that score.
Inside, this has the IWC 80111 movement, which is well-proven and extremely robust in-house movement, with the Pellaton winding system. It has 28 jewels and 44 hours power reserve.
Some commentators criticise this model because it lacks a faraday cage for enhanced magnetic protection, claiming that it cannot be a "real" Ingenieur without this feature. I can understand that point of view, but since I like the watch, I decided to overlook the issue, and anyway, if I need an anti-magnetic watch, I have a few in the box. :)
This watch has 120m WR and a screw-in crown, adding some additional credibility to the "tool" origins. On the alligator strap it weighs in at 99g, which is relatively light for a watch of this size, and is just about the same as an AT on alligator/deployant.
Overall, this is very well executed,............difficult to categorise - too large to be a dress watch, quite understated for a sport watch, and a bit bling for a tool watch. One of details I particularly like is the minute track, which appear to be individually applied round steel markers. This is not the best picture, but maybe it shows the idea..
On the wrist...
Happily, despite the dimensions (42.5mm x 14.5mm, 22mm lugs, 50mm lug-to-lug), I think it is a good fit and it has a good balance of 'wrist presence' and conservative looks.
My conclusions:
A big part of choosing watches (for me) is to ensure they fit into my collection, so I needed to consider this watch in that context, rather than solely as an individual watch. In this respect I can overlook the foibles (1.5mm taller than ideal, and no soft-iron cage - which may have made it even taller...) and appreciate the simplicity and quality of execution. Adding another brand to my collection and a smart-looking blue dial help tick a couple more boxes, and therefore, I'm happy to say this watch fits in nicely. :)
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